Remember the days of styling Barbie dolls and playing dress-up with friends? Those days aren’t over yet. The Roblox game Dress to Impress brought fashion to the digital world and has cultivated a community of teens who grew up on the classic fashion games of the 2000s. Avid players express their love for the game and its opportunities for creative expression, but others argue that there are a number of issues that make the game less enjoyable.
What is Dress to Impress?
Dress to Impress is one of the mini-games offered on the app Roblox. Players are given a theme and five minutes to make an outfit before voting begins. A variety of both male and female outfits are offered along with skin tone, hair, makeup, nail and accessory options. Additionally, the player has the ability to alter each item of clothing by picking out a color or pattern for the piece.
Once the timer runs out, each player showcases their look by walking down the runway and striking a pose. Simultaneously, the other people in the server score the look on a scale of one to five stars. The stars are tallied up and the three outfits that received the most stars are put on the podium.
Why has Dress to Impress become so popular?
Players keep coming back to play Dress to Impress to channel their creativity. Sara Patel, a sophomore at Green Hope High School, loves how she is able to express herself in the game while also stepping out of her comfort zone. “I get to experiment with different styles and create outfits based on different themes which I find really enjoyable,” she said. Patel also expressed how Dress to Impress allows her to, “experiment with styles I might never wear in real life.”
Dress to Impress has a growing audience of teens and adults, despite Roblox being designed mainly for children. The obsession with this game stems from the childhood nostalgia it brings. Many of today’s teens grew up with Barbie dolls, dress-up costumes and other digital dress up games. Since Dress to Impress has elements similar to those games, playing it allows teens to experience the childlike bliss of playing dress-up once again.
Before Dress to Impress was created, many children flocked to play Fashion Famous: another fashion game that was geared more towards kids. Patel recalled her memories of playing Fashion Famous and expressed how Dress to Impress reminded her of those times. “Every time I play, it brings back so much nostalgia,” she recalled. Patel added onto that by describing how Dress to impress feels more designed for teens, “It has more advanced graphics and clothing styles that really match what teens would wear now.” The slightly more mature graphics make Dress to Impress more appealing to teens while still maintaining the playful image of classic children’s games. The game has become a way for teens to keep a part of their childhood alive and connect with others who are feeling the same sentimentality.
The limits of Dress to Impress
Like any game, Dress to Impress has its faults. Issues like paywalls and disrespectful competitors have left players frustrated with the game.
One main complaint is that players must pay to gain access to all of the clothes. By paying $10, or 800 Robux, players get VIP access that grants them the ability to customize their makeup and unlock clothes that other players can’t use.This puts players who are unable to upgrade at a disadvantage.
Another problem is the time constraint. With only five minutes to create a whole outfit, there is a limit to the creativity one can show. The game also takes place in a salon where players must walk around to get to what they need. For new players who are unfamiliar with the layout, this can eat away a lot of their time. However, it’s not feasible to eliminate the time limit, so unless the game time is increased, players will have to continue to make do with the time crunch.
With such a large fanbase there’s bound to be issues amongst players. Some argue that people are taking the game too seriously; others argue that the children on the servers make the game less enjoyable.
Patel expressed her frustration with players who get upset when they don’t place in the top three. “When people hate on others for winning, it takes away from the fun of the game,” she stated. Patel also argued that sore losers can spread the wrong message to players.
Molly Schieve, a junior at a high school in Florida shared similar frustrations. She said,“It can make you feel like you have to dress a certain way to win rather than just enjoying yourself and expressing your style freely.”
As the game continues to grow in popularity and players continue to join, it’s unlikely that this issue will stop anytime soon. On top of that, the increase in users has created other issues. “Dress to Impress is for sure getting too competitive because people get so annoyed when they don’t win,” Schieve said in relation to her experience.
Although paywalls, time constraints and overly competitive players can take away from the fun of Dress to Impress, it is still a great platform to experiment with different styles. From pajamas to red carpet looks, the customizability of the avatars and clothes gives players the opportunity to create a wide range of outfits. Playing off the classic dress-up games of the 2000s, Dress to Impress has captured the hearts of people from all different age groups and has revolutionized the world of fashion gaming.
